Feeding means for a metal press



y 1961 w. E. BRIGHAM 2,986,393

FEEDING MEANS FOR A METAL PRESS Filed Nov. 25, 1957 12 Sheets-Sheet 1ATTORNEY y 1961 w. E. BRIGHAM 2,986,393

FEEDING MEANS FOR A METAL PRESS Filed Nov. 25, 195'.

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ATTORNEY May 30, 1961 w. E. BRIGHAM FEEDING MEANS FOR A METAL PRESS l2Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 25, 1957 INVENTOR #167190 E BRIG/417% BY AT'Yy 1961 w. E. BRIGHAM 2,986,393

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FEEDING MEANS FOR A METAL PRESS Filed Nov. 25, 1957 12 SheetswSheet 6ATTORNEY y 1961 w. E. BRIGHAM 2,986,393

FEEDING MEANS FOR A METAL PRESS Filed Nov. 25, 1957 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR ATTORNEY WFKQ E BRIG/197M May 30, 1961 w. E. BRIGHAM FEEDINGMEANS FOR A METAL PRESS 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed Nov. 25, 1957rnllllllllllllv" INVENTOR n/fl/Fp 5 51( /644/7,

ATTORNEY May 30, 1961 w. E. BRIGHAM FEEDING MEANS FOR A METAL PRESS l2Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Nov. 25, 1957 IN VENTOR 14/0/90 E. awveh/fixv.llllllllllllr llllllll I ATTORNEY May 30, 1961 w. E. BRIGHAM FEEDINGMEANS FOR A METAL PRESS 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 WW 5 g w W Filed Nov. 25,1957 ATTORNEY y 1961 w. E. BRIGHAM 2,986,393

FEEDING MEANS FOR A METAL PRESS Filed NOV. 25, 1957 12 Sheets-Sheet 12ATTORNEY United I States Patent FEEDING MEANS FOR A NIETAL PRESS WardBrigham, Rutherford, N.J., assiguor to Sun Chemical Corporation, LongIsland City, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 25, 1957, Ser.No. 698,487

11 Claims. (Cl. 271-46) This invention relates to a feeding mechanismfor a printing cylinder and, more particularly, the invention relates toa high speed feeding mechanism for delivering metallic sheets into ametal decorating press.

The purpose of the feeding mechanism is to take sheets which have beenseparated and delivered to it by a Dexter feeder or the like and to movethe sheets to the press cylinder at exactly the peripheral speed of thepress cylinder and in perfect register. The Dexter feeder and the pressform no part of the invention.

To accomplish the purpose of the invention, the applicant providesseveral novel features. The first resides in a combination of conveyingmechanisms which bring the sheets up to the press. In considering thespeed of conveying the sheets to the press cylinder, the speeds will berelated to the surface speed of the cylinder which, in the embodimentdescribed, is X inches.

The sheets are carried forward from the Dexter feeder on belts whichtravel at a speed of X 1 inches per revolution of the press cylinderwhich is almost the speed of the surface cylinder. In other words, whilethe cylinder rotates one revolution on a peripheral distance of Xinches, the revolution of the press cylinder travels X 1 inches. Thesheets are picked up from the belts by chains having pusher lugs whichengage the rear end of the sheet. While moving onto the chain conveyor,the sheets pass over cylindrical wafer magnets which will operate at asurface speed of approximately X9 inches per revolution of the presscylinder. These magnets slow the sheets down to a point where the pusherlugs on the chains engage the sheets and move them toward the printingcylinders at a speed of X 4 inches per sheet.

Toward the end of the travel by the chains, the sheets are driven by areciprocating carriage having pushers which engage the rear edge of thesheet and which move the sheets at a speed of X inches per sheet tomatch cylinder surface speed.

Over the greater portion of its length of travel, the reciprocatingcarriage is driven by chains having a carriage engag'ng lug. A gearconnected through a gear train to the printing cylinder engages thereciprocating carriage and drives it for the final 3 inches of itstravel toward the printing cylinder.

By providing this positive driving connection between the printingcylinder and the reciprocating carriage, perfect register, which wouldbe unobtainable with a chain drive, is obtained.

Side register is provided initially by leaf spring arrange ments on oneside of the feeding mechanism which force the sheets against solidsurfaces on the other side of the feeding mechanism for preliminaryregister. Final register is provided by the reciprocating carriage whichhas arms brought inwardly by mating cams to engage the side edges of thesheets to achieve the final position. These arms move with the carriageand maintain the final position during the last inch of travel into theprinting cylinder.

There are two reciprocating carriages which form the Patented May 30,1961 essential feeding mechanism. These carriages are disposed at eitherside of the feed table between heavy plates. The plates are connected tothreaded shafts which can be turned to move the plates and carriage inand out to accommodate varying width sheets.

It is an object of the invention to provide a high speed feedingmechanism in which chain driven lugs bring the sheets close to theprinting cylinder and in which reciprocating carriages carry the sheetsthe remaining distance into the printing cylinder, the final threeinches of travel being effected through a positive gearing arrangementdriven directly from the printing cylinder.

It is another object of the invention to provide a mechanism in thereciprocating carriages which will projeot pusher lugs during the traveltoward the printing cylinder and will retract the pusher lugs on thereturn stroke.

It is another object of the invention to provide side register arms onthe reciprocating carriages with cam means for causing the arms toengage the side edges of the sheets during the last portion of thesheets travel into the printing cylinder.

These and other objects of the invention will become more readilyapparent from the following detailed description of the invention takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view taken from one side of the feedingmechanism.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view taken from the opposite side of the feedingmechanism;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a fragment of the feede mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the feeder mechanism;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the carriage mount;

Fig. 6 is a developed sectional view of the carriage mount;

Figs. 7 and 8 are detailed sectional views of the carriage mount takenalong lines 77 and 88 of Fig. 5 respectively;

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the carriage;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the carriage;

Fig. 11 is an end view of the carriage;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary top plan view of the carriage showing the sideregister mechanism for the right side of the machine;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the mechanism of Fig.12;

Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 14-14 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a top plan view of the rigid guide way;

Fig. 16 is an elevational view thereof;

Fig. 17 is a side elevational view thereof;

Fig. 18 is a top plan view of the leaf spring guide way;

Fig. 19 is a side elevational view thereof;

Fig. 20 is an end view thereof;

Fig. 21 is a perspective view showing the method of setting the machineup for various sheet sizes.

As indicated above the Dexter feeder and the printing press form no partof this invention and will not be described. As viewed in Fig. 1, theDexter feeder would appear at the left side of the machine and afragment of the printing press is shown at 30 in the right hand side ofthe view.

The principal conveying elements are the belts 32 which receive thesheets from the Dexter feeder, the chains 34 on which are mounted pusherlugs 36 and the carriage 38 on which is mounted a pusher lug 40. Thesheets are guided on the left side facing the printing press by rigidguide members 42 spaced alternately with rollers 44. On the right sideof the machine, urging the sheets toward the rigid guide ways are leafspring guide members 46 having adjusting screws 48. The sheets aresupported by slats S and 52. Comparing Figs. 1 and 2, it will beobserved that the slats 52 are removable to accomodate inward adjustmentof the carriage conveying mechanisms described below.

Final side registration is provided by arms 56 pivotally mounted at 58to the carriage 38.

The speed of movement of the sheets onto the chain conveyors 34 from thebelts 32 is controlled by cylindrical wafer magnets 60. The belts'32have a linear speed of X 1 inches per revolution of the press cylinderas compared to X inches per sheet of press cylinder surface speed. Thebelts deliver the sheet over the cylindrical wafer magnets 60, which areoperated at a surface speed of approximately X -9 inches per revolutionof the press cylinder. These magnets slow the sheet down gradually tothe point where preliminary pusher lugs 36 travelling on chains 34 at aspeed of approximately X 4 inches per revolution of the press cylindercatch up to the sheet and carry it beyond the magnets.

Drive mechanism for conveyor chain Figs. 3 and 4 show details of themechanism for transmitting motion from the printing cylinder to theconveyors. The main driving element is a spline shaft 70 which is fixedto a gear 72 driven directly by the main cam shaft which is directlygeared to the printing cylinder. The spline shaft drives a completeassembly such as is shown in Fig. 4, two such complete assemblies beingutilized for the feeding mechanism. In the preferred embodiment, thespline shaft is broken at the center, intermediate the two assemblies,and is driven by gears mounted on either side of the printing cylinder.The spline shaft is fixed to main gear 74 and 76 which engage thecarriage drive gears 78 and 80 respectively. Gear 74 meshes with gear 82which is fixed to one end of shaft 84, the other end of which is fixedto a sprocket 86. Conveyor chain 34 engages sprocket 86 passing overidler sprockets 88, 90 and 92 and tensioning sprocket 94, the sprocket92 being mounted for rotation with respect to its shaft 98. Thus, theconveyor chain 34 is driven directly from spline shaft 70 which is inturn connected directly to the press cylinder.

Belt drive mechanism Gear 72 drives a gear 73, having a sprocket 75fixed thereto. Through a chain 77 this sprocket 75 drives a sprocket 79fixed to shaft 104. A sprocket 110 is keyed to shaft 104 to drive asprocket 108 through chain 106. The sprocket 188 drives the shaft 98 towhich are keyed pulleys 96. The pulleys 96 drive the belts 32 which arewrapped around pulleys 97 rotatably mounted on the end 99 of carriagemount frame 68.

The wafer magnets 60 are fixed to shaft 104 and are rotated by the shaft104 when it is driven by the chain 77 and sprocket 79.

There will be applications in which non magnetic sheets are fed into thedecorating press. In such instances, the cylindrical wafer magnets willnot be effective to slow the sheets. To obviate this difficulty, discs105 (Fig. 2) are rotatably mounted on a shaft 107. The shaft 107 isjournaled in blocks 109 which are in turn mounted for vertical slidingmovement in brackets 1-11 fixed to the frame members 102. The discs 105can be normally adjusted sideways so that sheets passing'through will beforced into frictional engagement with the cylindrical wafer magnets 60and slowed down accordingly.

Carriage drive mechanism Each of the two carriages 38, is driven overthe major portion of its stroke by parallel chains 120 which carrybetween them a roller 122 which rides in the slots 124 and 126 ofdepending arms 1'28 and 130 respectively on the carriage. The chainspass around drive sprockets 132: and idler sprockets134. The drivesprockets are con.-

nected through stub shafts 136 to gears 78 and 80. Gears 78 and aredriven by the spline shaft 70 through gears 74 and 76 as indicatedabove.

It is important in obtaining exact registration that the carriages 38 bedriven over the last approximately 3 inches of travel toward thecylinder press by a gear drive connected directly to the cylinder press.To this end a gear 138 is fixed to gear 80 and directly driven by theprinting cylinder through gear 76 on spline shaft 70. An intermediategear 140 connects gear 138 to gear 142 which is rotatably mounted 'onthe frame member '68. Fixed to gear 142 is a fractional pinion gear 144having gear teeth 146 engageable with a rack 148 on the carriage 38. Thepositioning of teeth 146 is such that in the last approximately 3 inchesof the travel of carriage 38 toward the printing cylinder, the teeth 146engage the rack 148 and transmit the motion of the carriage directlythrough a gear chain from the printing cylinder. This arrangementpermits subsequently perfect registration which would not be possiblewith tolerance errors occurring in a chain drive.

Operation of Pushers on reciprocating carriage Carriages 38 move backand forth as the roller 122 travels around between chains 120. Areciprocating movement is permitted by virtue of the fact that theroller is permitted to slide up and down in slot 124 of arm 128 on thecarriage. (See Figs. 9 and 11.) The same roller also engages the slot126 of arm 130 which is pivoted at 150 to the frame 152 of the carriage.One end of a link 154 is pivotally connected to arm 130 at 156. Theother end of the link is fixed to a bracket 158. Bracket 158 ispivotally connected at 160 to a link 162 which is pivoted at 164-to theframe 152. A tension spring 166 normally urges the bracket 158 in anupward direction. The link 154 is slidably mounted in a bore 168 in aclamping block 170, the block 170 being connected through a link 172 tocarriage pusher lug 40, and having a nut 173 to clamp the block ontolink 154.

As shown in Fig. 9, when roller 122 reaches the bottom of its stroke,the arm 130 has pivoted downwardly drawing the link 154 down with it.Link 154 moves through parallel positions because of the parallelogramlinkage arrangement described above. The dropping of link 154 pulls thepusher lug 40 down below the surface of the slat 50 on which the sheetsride. Thus, on the return stroke of the carriage, when the roller is inits lower position, the pusher lug is out of the path of travel ofsheets being driven by conveyor chains 34.

The pusher lug 40 consists principally of a first member 174 which ispivoted to an adjustable member 176 slidably mounted in a'key way 178 onthe frame 152. A second pusher lug member 180 has a projection 182pivoted at 184 in a slot in the first member 174. A compression spring186 connected at one end 188 through a bolt 190 to the first member 174urges the second member 180 against the first member 174. Thecompression spring 186 provides a certain desired resiliancy in thepusher lug which smooths the engagement of the pusher lug with the sheetand which avoids buckling the sheet when it is moved into engagementwith the printing cylinder.

Sheets of various lengths can be accommodated by the carriages 38through the adjustment provided by ad jus-table member 176. Member 176can be slid along the key way 178 and fixed in any longitudinal positionby nuts 192 as determined by the setting procedures illustrated-in Figs.3 and 21 to be described below. When adjustable member 176 is movedalong key way 178, the complete assembly including the pusher lug 4t),link 172 and member 170 slide along with the adjustable member. Member170 is permitted to move with respect to link 154 because of the slidingengagement of link 154 in slot 168. Because of the parallel linkarrangement operating link 154, the retractingand projecting movement ofpusher lug 40 is not alfected by the positioning of the pusher lugassembly along the length of link 154.

Detection of improper feeding As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, fingers 171 arepositioned above the table and are operably connected to micro switches173 mounted by brackets 175 to the frame. If the sheets are improperlyfed by belts 32 and chain conveyor lugs 36, the reciprocating carriagelugs 40 will come up under the sheets lifting them slightly. The liftingof the sheets will cause the operation of fingers 171 and, throughsuitable circuitry not shown, will shut down the machine.

Carriage mounting arrangement The carriage mounting arrangement is shownin Figs. 9, and 1 1. Fixed to the outside frame member 68 is a rail 200having a channel-shaped groove 202. Flanges 204 and 206 provide upperand lower bearing surfaces which are engaged by rollers 208 and 210respectively. A stabilizing roller 212 rides in channel 202 and a secondstabilizing roller 214 bears against the opposite side of flange 204.Substantially identical arrangements of rollers cooperating with therail 200* are mounted at each end of the carriage as shown in hiddenlines in Fig. 9. An additional stabilizing roller 216 mounted at thelower end of arm 128 rides between rails 218 and 220. The rails 218 and220 are fixed to the frame members 68 immediately beneath the lower pathof travel of the carriage driving chains '120.

Final side register mechanism The side register mechanism on the leftand right sides of the machine are mounted on and moved 'with thecarriages 38. The mechanism on the left side of the machine iscomparatively rigid whereas the mechanism on the right side of themachine has a spring biasing arrangement which permits the mechanism toaccommodate sheets of slightly varying widths. Figs. 9 and 10 show themechanism on the.left side of the machine with the carriages moving inthe direction of the arrows. The side register arms 56 are pivotallymounted at 58 to the carriage frame 152 as mentioned above. At the endof the arm 56 is a sheet engaging surface 222. At the other end of thearm 56 is a tension spring 224 normally urging the arm about its pivotpoint 58 to hold the arm into engagement with a cam surface 252, thedetails of which are to be described below. The tension spring 224 isfixed at one end 226 to the arm 56 and at the other end 228 to the frame152.

An abutment 194 is fixed to the frame 152 by bolts 196. The abutmentengages a surface 198 on the arm 56 to limit the angular movement of thearm 56 about its pivot point 58 under the pull of the tension spring224. The abutment 194 consists of a pin 195 threaded into a block 197which is fixed to the carriage frame. The threaded engagement of pin 195with block 197 permits the adjustment of the normal angular position ofthe arm 56.

On the lower surface of the arm 56 is a roller 250 which is engageablewith a leaf spring cam surface 252 fixed to the rail 200 (Fig. 10). Asthe carriage moves in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 10, the leafspring cam 252 and the cam surface beyond causes the arm 56 to pivotclock-wise thereby moving surface 222 into engagement with the sheet forperfect side register. In passing over leaf spring cam 252, the rollerpasses through a box cam slot 254 as the sheet is being moved into theprinting cylinder. The roller drops down into the area indicated at 256for the return stroke. On the return stroke, the roller passes underleaf spring cam 252 and leaf spring cam 252 is forced aside to permitthe roller to pass out through the position shown in Fig. 10.

The tension spring 224 holds the arm 56 into tight 6 .engagement withthe cam surface which pivots the arm to be described below.

It will be observed from a consideration of Fig. 10 that if a sheet, afragment of which is shown at 201, is slightly wider than anticipated,the arm 56 cannot accommodate the sheet because of the rigid connectionbetween the end having roller 250 which bears against the cam surfaceand the surface 222 which engages the edge of the sheet 201.Accommodation of the variations in width of the sheets is provided bythe side register mechanism on the right side of the machine asillustrated in Figs. 12, 13 and 14. In this arrangement the arm consistsof a member 260 pivoted at 262 to the frame '152 and carrying at one endthereof the sheet engaging abutment 222. The other end of member 260carries a pin 264 and a short abutment stub 266. Another part of the armconsists of a member 268 also pivoted at 262 to the frame 152. One endof the member 268 carries a roller 270 which engages a leaf spring camin the same manner as roller 260 does, as shown in Fig. 10. The rollerend of member 268 has fixed thereto one end of a tension spring 272, theother end of which is fixed to the carriage frame 152 at 274.

The arm members 268 and 260 are caused to work together by a tensionspring 276 which is connected to member 260 at its end 264 and which isconnected to member 268 at the end 276 of a projection 278, integralwith member 268. The projection 278 carries an abutment 280 consistingof a screw 282 threaded into a block 284 and carrying a dock nut 286 tofix the screw in the block 284. The block 284 is fixed to the projection278. Tension spring 276 normally holds abutment stud 266 fixed to armmember 260 tightly against the end of abutment screw 282. However, whenthe edge of a sheet engages the abutment 222 and the roller 270' ismoved counterclockwise in the direction of the arrow by a leaf springcam arrangement, the engagement of abutment stub 266 with screw 282 willbe separated, with the spring 276 tending to bias abutment surface 222against the edge of the sheet 201. Thus, the spring 276 acting on themember 260 and its abutment surface 222 forces'the sheet tightly againstthe abutment 222 of arm 56 on the left side of the machine.

The cams 252 on either side of the machine are located With respect tothe printing cylinder to cause the cooperating arms to engage the sidesof the sheets as the chopped gear 144 engages the rack 148 on thecarriage. Thus for the last approximately 3 inches of travel, thecarriage, for rear register, and the side register arms are in eifectlocked together and to the rotation of the cylinder to effect perfectregister of the sheets into the printing cylinder.

Mechanism for lateral adjustment of carriage mount As shown in Figs. 1,2 and 4, there are two threaded rods 300 and 302 passing through leftand right frame members 102. The rods are journaled in the frame members102 and are interconnected by a chain 304 diagramatically illustrated inFig. 4. The threaded rods 300 and 302 cooperate 'With threaded bushings306 fixed in carriage mount frames 68. A crank shown at 308 in Fig. 2and diagramatically illustrated in Fig. 4 rotates the rod 302, throughchain 304, the rod 300. The rotation of the rods 300 and 302 actsthrough the bushings 306 to move carriage mounts 68 toward and away fromeach other thereby carrying carriages 38 toward and away from eachother.

The frame members 68 are slidably mounted on support rods 310 which aresecurely fixed to the left and right frame members 102. A detail of theconstruction of the frame members 68 and their relationship to thethreaded rods 302 and the mounting rod 310 is illustrated in fragmentaryview Fig. 7. There it is seen that the frame members 68 are spaced apartby blocks 312 carrying bearing material 314 which supports the carriagemount frame member 68 slidably on the rod 310.

Mounting arrangement for the carriage drive chains Referring to Figs.6-and 7, the carriage drive chains 120 pass over the drive sprockets 132and idler sprockets 134. The drive sprockets are mounted in stub shafts136 which are fixed to the carriage mount frame members 68. Bolts 320fix one of the drive sprockets 132 toits associated gear 78, the gearand sprocket being rotatably mounted on the stub shaft 136 by bearings322. The opposing lsprocket 132 is fixed to its drive gear 80 and gear138 by bolts 326, the assembly being mounted on stub shaft 136 bybearings 3 28. The idler sprockets 134 are mounted by bearings 330 toidler stub shafts 332 fixed in a cage 334. The cage 334 floats betweenframe members 68 and is adjustably mounted to the frame members by athreaded bolt 336 which thrcadably engages a cross piece 338 extendingbetween the two frame members. Thus, if the chains 120 become elongateddue to wear, they can be tightened by turning bolt 336, drawing the cage334 away from the drive sprockets 13-2.

Preliminary side register Before being captured by the side registerdevices on the reciprocating carriages 38 and while passing over thebelt feeders 32 and chain conveyors 34, preliminary side register iselfected by rigid guide members 42 and leaf spring guide members 46 asillustrated in Fig. 1. Details of the rigid and leaf spring guidemembers are shown in Figs. 15-21.

Referring particularly to Figs. 16 and 17, the rigid guide members 42consist of an elongated longitudinally extended bar 350, elongated bar352 inclined in the longitud-inal axis of the machine and two short bars354 all fixed to a plate 356. Plate 356 is mounted by brackets 358 tothe carriage mount frame member 68. Rollers 360 are rotatably mounted onplate 356 adj acent the short bars 354. The slat 50 is also shownmounted on the plate 356.

Figs. 18-20 show the mounting of the resilient leaf spring quide members46. These consist of leaf springs 362 mounted on elongated bars 364.Preliminarily to the leaf springs 362 is an elongated bar 366 which isinclined to the longitudinal axis for preliminary centering of thesheets as they pass off the conveyor belts 32. The bars 364 and 366 aremounted on plates 368 fixed by brackets 370 to carriage mount framemember 68. Tension adjusting screws 48' are threaded in the ends 372 ofthe leaf springs 362 and bear against thebars 364 to apply propertension to the leaf springs. The right hand slat 50 is shown fixed tothe plate 368.

Adjustment to accommodate sheets of various widths and lengths The"adjustment for width of the sheet to be printed is illustrated in Fig.2. As indicated above, the carriage mounts 68 which carry thepreliminary side register guide members and the final side registermechanism, can be moved in and outby turning crank 308. Fixed to thecarriage mount 68 is a pointer 380 which cooperates with a scale 382ifixed on a bracket 384. The bracket 384 is mounted on the left framemember 102. Cooperating with the scale 382 and pointer 380 is agraduated dial wheel 386 fixed to the crank 308.

To set the carriage mounts 68 transversely for the proper sheet width,the sheet is first measured and the pointer 380 is set against thecorresponding scale marking on scale 382 by rotating crank 308. The dialwheel which reads directlyin thousanths of an inch is set to theproperfraction of aninch by further rotation of the crank 308.

-Because'all of the drive mechanism of the carriage mount 68 is takenoff spline shafts'70, the carriage mount 68 can be moved duringoperation in order to make a further adjustment under operatingconditions.

The next adjustment is of the reciprocating pushers. As indicated inFig. 3, slat 50 is provided with a scale 390. Scale 392 is provided onthe reciprocating carriage 38. The end of the scale 392 on thereciprocating carriage is set against the scale marking 29 on slat 50 byturning the press by hand through means not shown.

The individual adjustable pusher members 176 are set so that agraduation line 394is set to the exact length of sheet to be printed onthe scale 392 mounted on the reciprocating pusher carriage. Thisadjustment is made by loosening the two nuts 192 on the adjustablemember 176 and the nut 173. After the member 176 is properly located,referring to Fig. 9, a lower clamping block 170 is then shifted so thatlink 172 is vertical. Then the nuts 192 and 173 are retightened.

The pusher lugs 36 on conveyor chains are then set to provide a properrelationship between pusher lugs 36 and carriage pusher lugs 40. Thesetting of the pusher lugs '36 is illustrated by reference to Figs. 3and 21.

Without a sheet on the feed table, the press is moved through a forwardcycle and then on the return stroke of the reciprocating carriage, thepress is stopped at precisely the point at which the carriage pusherlugs 40 come up to the level of the top of the slats. At this point asheet is placed on the table in the manner shown in Fig. 21 with therearward edge just contacting the carriage pusher lugs 40. Nuts 400 onchain drive sprocket 86 are loosened to release the drive sprocket fromthe gear 82 which drives it. Using a spanner wrench 402 the chain 34 ismoved until the lug pushers 36 just touch the rearward edge of the sheet201. The nuts 400 are then tightened to fix the position of thesprockct86 with respect to its driving gear 82.

These operations having been performed for both'sides of the machine,the machine is ready for operation.

Operation After the machine has been set up to feed sheets of thepredetermined size, the machine is ready for operation. The sheets arefed from the Dexter feeder or the like onto belts 32 where they are fedtoward the decorating press at a speed of 43 inches per revolution ofthe press cylinder, the surface speed of the printing cylinders in thisexemplary movement being 44 inches per revolution of the press cylinder.The belts deliver the sheets over the cylindrical wafer magnets 60 whichare moving at a surface speed of approximately 35 inches per revolutionof the press cylinder. The pusher lugs 36 on conveyor chain 34 aremoving at approximately 40 inches per sheet and catch up to the sheetsand engage the rear edges thereof.

Farther down the .feed table toward the printing cylindcr, the lugs 40on the reciprocating carriage are cammed up through the operation of thechain roller 122 on the arm of the carriage and begin their forwardstroke at a speed of 44 inches per revolution of the press cylinder.This linear speed exceeding that of the lugs 36 on the conveyor chain,the pusher lugs 40 on the reciprocating carriage catch up to the rearedge of each sheet and con tniue its movement toward the press cylinder.In the final three inches of movement toward the press cyllnder choppedpinion gear 144 engages the rack 148 on the reciprocating carriage anddrives the reciprocating carnage forward to cause the sheets to enterthe normal grippers on the printing cylinder in substantially perfectregister. While the sheets are moving forward as above described, theyare guided for side register by the preliminaryguide-members 42 and 46.In the final few inches of travel, the leaf spring cams 252 cause arms56 on the side register mechanisms to engage the side edges of thesheets to hold them in precise side register while the carriage movesthe sheets into the printing cylinder. At this point the grippers on thepress cylinders close and take control of the sheet.

In a general manner, while there has been disclosed in the abovedescription, what is deemed to be the most practical and efiiecientembodiment of the invention, it should be well understood that theinvention is not limited to such embodiment as there might be changesmade in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts Withoutdeparting from the principle of the present invention as comprehendedwithin the scope of the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mechanism for feeding work into a printer comprising, a support, acarriage mounted on said support for longitudinal movement, a workengaging abutment on said carriage, first drive means including anendless chain connected to said carriage to reciprocate said carriage onsaid support, means separate from said chain for positively driving saidcarriage for the end portion of the feeding stroke of said carriage, acam surface mounted on said support, a side register pivoted on saidcarriage, and a follower on said register engaging said cam surface tomove said register into engagement with said work during said endportion of said feeding stroke.

2. A mechanism for feeding Work into a printer comprising, a support, acarriage mounted on said support for longitudinal movement, a workengaging abutment movably mounted on said carriage, drive meansincluding spaced sprockets and an endless chain connected to saidcarriage to reciprocate said carriage on said support, a drive roller onsaid chain, a first plate depending from said carriage and having afirst elongated slot engaged by said roller, a second plate pivoted tosaid carriage at a point longitudinally spaced from said first slot,said second plate having a second elongated slot engaged by said driveabutment, and linkage connecting said second plate to said work engagingabutment, whereby movement of said drive roller from one side of asprocket to the other side of said sprocket will move said work engagingabutment.

3. A mechanism for feeding sheets from a preliminary feeder or the likeinto a rotary printing cylinder comprising; two spaced generallyparallel supports each having mounted thereon: chain and lug pusherdrive means for bringing said sheets almost up to the peripheral speedof said cylinder, a reciprocable carriage for bringing the sheet speedup to said cylinder peripheral speed, gear and rack means for positivelydriving said carriage for the last portion of its stroke toward saidfeeder; and means for moving said supports toward and away from eachother to accommodate varying width sheets.

4. A mechanism for feeding metallic sheets from a preliminary feeder orthe like into a rotary printing cylinder comprising, a support, magnetsfor slowing the sheets from a preliminary feeder, drive means forbringing said sheets almost up to approximately the peripheral speed ofsaid sprinter, a chain driven carriage for bringing the sheet speed upto said printer surface speed, and gear and rack means for positivelydriving said carriage for the last portion of its stroke toward saidfeeder and means interconnecting said gear and rack means and saidprinting cylinder.

5. A mechanism for feeding sheets into a printing cylinder comprising, aframe for supporting said sheets, at least one reciprocating carriagehaving a sheet engaging portion for pushing said sheets into saidcylinder, gear means connecting said printing cylinder to said carriageto provide a direct gear connected drive of said carriage during atleast the last portion of its stroke toward said printing cylinder, atleast one side register arm mounted on said carriage, means moving saidarm into engagement with said sheet during at least the last portion ofthe direct gear drive portion of said carriage stroke, whereby said armsand sheet engaging portion lock said sheet to said carriage for positivegear drive into said cylinder.

6. A mechanism for feeding sheets into a printing cylinder comprising, aframe for supporting said sheets, two reciprocating carriages eachhaving a sheet engaging portion for pushing said sheets into saidcylinder, gear means connecting said printing cylinder to said carriagesto provide a direct gear connected drive of said carriages during atleast the last portion of their stroke toward said printing cylinder, afirst side register arm movably mounted on one carriage, a second sideregister arm movably mounted on the other carriage, cam means on eitherside of said support cooperating with said arms to move said arms intoengagement with the sides of said sheets only when said carriage is inits gear connected relation to said cylinder.

7. A mechanism for feeding sheets from a preliminary feeder into arotary printer at a controlled final speed comprising a support having afeed path extending across the support in one direction, means forfeeding sheets to said support at a first end of said feed path, meanson said support adjacent the first end of said feed path for moving saidsheets along said path at a controlled rate of speed slower than thefinal feed speed, a reciprocating carriage conveyor mounted on saidsupport at the other end of said feed path, a first drive means forreciprocating said carriage and advancing said sheet at a second speedslower than said final speed, and faster than said second speed, and asecond drive means comprising a rack on said carriage and a pinionmeshing with said rack and driven by said printer for advancing saidcarriage at said final speed, and means for disconnecting said pinionfrom said rack on the return stroke of said carriage.

8. A mechanism for feeding sheets from a preliminary feeder into arotary printer at a controlled final speed comprising a support having afeed path extending across the support in one direction, means forfeeding sheets to said support at a first end of said feed pathmagnetsfor slowing the sheets from the preliminary feedera reciprocatingcarriage conveyor mounted on said support at the other end of said feedpath, a first drive means for reciprocating said carriage and advancingsaid sheet at asecond speed slower than said final speed, and fasterthan said second speed, and a second drive means for advancing saidcarriage at said final speed, final sheet guide means effective duringthe period of said final speed mounted on both sides of and near saidother end of said feed path adapted to move toward and away from eachother to accommodate varying width sheets.

9. A mechanism for feeding work into a printer comprising, a support, atleast one carriage mounted on said support for longitudinal movement, awork engaging abutment on said carriage, a first drive means connectedto said carriage to reciprocate said carriage on said support throughoutthe majority of its length of travel, a second drive means comprising arack on said carriage, and a pinion meshing with said rack and driven bysaid printer for positively driving said carriage for a small portion ofthe carriage stroke nearest said printer, said pinion having teeth ononly a portion of its circumference to permit said rack to pass saidpinion on its reverse stroke.

10. A mechanism for feeding Work into a printer comprising, a horizontalsupport for said work, a first means for pushing said work on saidsupport into said printer, preliminary side register means at eitherside of said support and remote from said printer, said preliminary sideregister means including a fixed abutment along one side of said supportand a resilient abutment at the other side of said support to urge saidsheets against said fixed abutment, and final side register means,operable by the rnovement of said first means, for positively holdingsaid sheet in proper side register as it moves into said printer.

-11. A mechanism for feeding metallic sheets along a path of travel froma preliminary feeder into a rotary *printing cylinder, comprising incombination, a support,

a drive means for moving said sheets horizontally on said supportthrough a first section of said path of travel at less than theperipheral speed ofsaid printing cylinder, feed means for receiving saidsheets from said drive means and moving said sheets through a secondsection of said path of travel into engagement with said printer at theperipheral speed of said cylinder, a pair of opposing grippers, meansurging said grippers toward each other and engaging side edges of saidsheets therebetween during said second section of said path of travel,and means coordinating said drive means, said feed means and saidgrippers with said printer cylinder for synchronized operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSHodgman Aug. 11, 1903 Morgan June 29, 1909 Westerbeck June 11, 1912Labombarde June 2, 193 1 Sieger Jan. 12, 1937 Montgomery Mar. 21, 1937Belluche et al June 1, 1937 Martin Jan. 14, 1941 Matthews Nov. 11, 1941Bailey et a1 Apr. 6, 1948 Albrecht Oct. 31, 1950 Johnson Mar. 25, 1952Hansson Mar. 8, 1955 Feick et al. Jan. 3, 1956

